Horse-detacher



(No Model.)

J. H. NICHOLS. HORSE DETAGHBR.

No. 436.185. Patented Sept. 9. 1890.

torneyf' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HARMON NICHOLS, OF UNIONVILLE, TENNESSEE.

HORSE-DETACHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,185, datedSeptember 9, 1890.

Application led May 6 1890. Serial No. 350,763. (N o model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN HARMON NICH- OLS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Unionville, in the county of Bedford and Stateof Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHorse-Detachers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to improvements in horse-detachers, and moreparticularly to certain improvements under Letters Patent.

of the United States, which were granted to me under date of April 12,1887, and numbered 361,230.

The object of the present invention is to simplify the constructiondescribed in the above-referred-to patent and to dispense entirely withthe necessity of a singletree, the advantages arising therefromappearing more fully hereinafter.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in theimproved construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter morefully pointed out.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view showing my deviceproperly applied to the harness. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the devicedetached from the harness` showing the buckle in dotted lines; and Fig.3 is a horizontal section.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates the thills to whichmy improved device is attached. Theirnprovcment of course is arrangedupon each thill, and inasmuch as they are identical in construction forthe sake of brevity only one willbe described. It consists of alongitudinal metallic rod B, having its ends bent intoV right-angularform, as indicated at h b, the horizontal portions of said right-angularextensions being provided with integral lugs b b', which fit intosuitable notches in the thills and assist in firmly securing the devicein proper position. These horizontal extensions are also provided withvertical rods C C, which are reduced in diameter, thus forming shouldersc c at the points latter being provided with a rearwardly-ex- 1 tendingrecess f2. i

A metallic rod G is arranged within the casing or chamber f', said rodbeing provided upon its outer end with an eye g and upon its inner endwith an upwardly-extending shoulder g', and also provided with anundercut or notch g2. This rod is encircled by a coiled spring H, whichactuates the same so as to cause the locking of thedevice, ashereinafter explained.

Pivoted to the lug or projection f of the sleeve is a detent or pawl I,said pawl having its free end notched at i, so as toregisterwith thenotch in the end of4 the spring-actuated rod G when in engagementtherewith.

Encircling the longitudinal rodB are coiled springs J J, the outer endsof said springs bearing against the right-angular extensions of the rodand the inner ends bearing against the sleeve.

The letter K indicates lthe holdback of the harness, to the end ofywhich is attached a shorterv connecting-strap'L, the latter in turnbeing connected to the rear loop of a buckle M, the forward loopthereofhaving connected thereto the trace N. The two loops of the buckle areformed by a cross-piece im, which, as clearly indicated in Fig. l of thedrawings, is adapted to be engaged by the detent or pawl, and thusserves to keep the animal in position within the thills. A suitable cordor strap O is attached to the eye formed at the end of thespring-actuated rod G, said cord or strap being of sufficient length tobe readily reached by the driver. In this manner it will be seen thatwhen the buckle is attached at each 'side of a set of harness to thetrace and holdback, and a horse with this harness IOO i limiting theirrear movement.

notch of the spring-actuated rod, (both the end of said rod and the pawlbeing slightly beveled to facilitate this arrangement,) the cross-piecesof the buckles being first placed in such a position relative to thepawls that the latterpass over said cross-pieces. Vhen the pawls arethus in engagement, as shown in Figs. l and 2, it will be noticed thatthey practically form eyes for the retention of the cross-pieces, saidpawls being curved and the corresponding portion of the sleeve F beingalso curved, as shown at f3.

In order to detach the animal, all that is necessary to be done issimply to pull the cords O, and thus draw the spring-actuated rods Grearward, the upwardlyextending shoulders or lugs g thereof engaging therear walls of the recesses f2 of the casings and When thus drawn back totheir full extent, the pawls are out of engagement and can be thrownforward and the horse thus readily detached.

It is of course obvious that many minor changes may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention-as, for instance, the sleeve Fupon the rod B may be formed integrally therewith and the springs uponsaid rod dispensed with, thus converting the sleeve into an immovablelug or central enlargement. I prefer, however, to construct theinvention as shown in the drawings.

In practice I attach the device upon the thill in a position about fivefeet from the `axle of the vehicle or three feet from the positionusually occupied by the singletree. B y this arrangement the vehicle isdrawn directly by the thills, thus giving the animal five feet leverageby which to control the vehicle. This gives the horse great advantage incontrolling the vehicle over rough roads and makes it much more pleasantfor the rider, as it is obvious that the drawing and holding back is onthe springs encircling the rod B.

By the employment of my invention, also, only one hitching is requiredon each side, whereas by the old plans two hitchings are required oneach side. Furthermore, this construction enables the vehicle to be heldback in going downhill from the top of the thills, thus holding saidthills down-instead of raising them, as by the old plan. The harness isalso cheaper, as traces and holdback-straps are only half the usuallength.

When the cords are drawn and the horse released, the harness is neatlydone up and the traces prevented from dropping in the mud; also, byholding the cord tightly the thills are held up until thehorse is farenough away to prevent his stepping upon them and thus mutilating thesame.

Besides the above-stated advantages the detacher is applicable to allcarriages, wagons, plows, harrows, and, in fact, to .any class ofvehicles employing horses as a motive power, is simple in construction,and readily and conveniently operated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby LettersPatent of the United States, is

l. In a horse-detacher, the combination, with a bar having its ends bentinto right-angular form, the horizontal portions of the right-angularextensions being provided with suitable lugs fitting in recesses in thethills and also provided with vertical rods adapted to pass through thethills of the vehicle and forming shoulders at the points of juncturewith the horizontal extensions, the lower ends of said vertical rodsbeing screw-threaded to receive nuts, of a spring-actuated sleeve uponthe rod, said sleeve being formed at its forward end with aninwardly-extending bearing-lng and at its opposite end with arearwardly-extending tubular chamber, a detent Or pawl pivoted to theforward bearing-lug, and a spring-actuated rod working in the tubularchamber and adapted to be operated by a suitable cord, substantially asset forth.

2. In a horse-detacher, the combination, with a bar having its ends bentat right angies and adapted to be inserted through the thill of avehicle, of a spring-actuated sleeve upon the horizontal portion of saidrod, said sleeve being formed at its forward end with aninwardly-extending bearing-lug and at its opposite end with an inwardlyand rearwardly extending tubular chamber, a detent or pawl pivoted tothe forward bearing-lug and having its end beveled and notched, and aspringactuated rod working in the tubular chamber having its forward endbeveled and notched and its rear .end provided with a suitableoperating-cord, substantially as set forth.

3. In a horsedetacher, the combination,`

thill of a vehicle, of a spring-actuated sleeve upon the horizontalportion of said rod, said sleeve being formed at its forward end with4 arearwardly-extending bearing-lug and at its opposite end with aninwardly and rearwardly extending tubular chamber, said chamber beingprovided upon the upper side at its inner end with arearwardly-extending recess, the sleeve being also concaved intermediatethe lug and chamber, a curved detent or pawl pivoted to said bearing-lugand provided with a notched end, and a spring-actuated rod workingwithin the chamber provided upon its inner end with a notch and with anupwardly-extending lug and upon its outer end with a suitableoperating-cord, substantially as set forth.

4E. In a horse-detacher, the combination, with a buckle having a forwardloop for attaching it to the traces and a rear loop for attachin g it tothe holdback-strap, said loops being formed by a central cross-bar, of abar having its ends bent at right angles and adapted to be insertedthrough the thill of a vehicle, the horizontal portion of said bar beingprovided with an enlargement, the latter formed at its forward end withan inwardly-extending bearing-lug and at its opposite end with IOO IIO

IZO

an inwardly and rearwardly extending tubu my own I have hereunto aixedmy Signat-ure lar chamber; a spring-actuated rod working in presence oftwo witnesses. in the tubular chamber, and a detent or pawl pivoted tothe forward bearing-lug and adapt- JOHN HA RMON NICHOLS 5 ed to confineor secure the central cross-bar Witnesses:

of the buckle, substantially as setforth. JESSE COVINGTON,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as JAMES WILLIAM GANNAWAY.

